Improvement in buckles



W. J. OARNES, Jr. Buckle Patented Aug. 12, 1879.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES ILPETERS, FMOTD-LIYNOGRAPHEF. WASNINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFfoE.

WILLIAM J. OARNES, JR, OF GONZALES, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUCKLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,486, dated August 12, 1879; application filed March 22, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JAMES OARNES, J r., of Gonzales, in the county of Gonzales and State of Texas, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Buckles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal central section of my buckle with straps applied. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof.

This invention has relation to improvements in buckles; and it consists of a three-tongue buckle having a central transverse bar provided with separating-lugs, formed on said bar between the seats for the eyes of the tongues, keeping the latter in proper relative position, as hereinafter shown and described.

in the accompanying drawings, the letter a designates the body of the buckle, the same being an oblong rectangular frame having a central cross-bar, b, dividing the opening of the frame into two equal parts, or thereabout. This bar b is provided with spaced projections or lugs t; or, in lieu thereof, annular flanges or collars extending completely around the said bar may be used, between which are arranged the tongues c and c, the object of the said projections being to keep the said tongues properly spaced, or at a normal distance apart. These tongues play upon the same side of the buckle-frame, and are secured upon the bar b by bending or looping pieces of wire of suitable thickness around the interspaces between the lugs, projections, or collars aforesaid.

The effect of this construction is, that I avoid the spreading out of the metal of the tongues at one end, thereby thinning and weakening the same, in order to form laterallyextended sleeves, which, being folded around the pivot-bar side by side, hold the tongues in place upon the said bar.

The tonguec bears upon the end bar d of the buckle-frame, and the tongues 0 upon the opposite end bar, d, as shown in Fig. 2.

e designates a raised loop, forming, with the end bar d aforesaid, a slot, 6, the object of which will be hereinafter fully shown.

At each side of the frame a, and usually in the same plane therewith, are other loops, g g, forming, with the side bars of the body or frame, a slot, 8. These slots are designed to receive the ends of the hip-straps, which support the breeching, or traces where no breeching is used; but there are many other purposes to which they may be applied in harness not herein requiring enumeration.

By means of this improved buckle an entire set of harness, or any part thereof, may be put together without a single stitch.

Bridles, headstalls for halters, military accouterments, and many other like constructions, may be in like manner put together without stitching, and by comparatively unskilled labor.

Should a trace, rein, or knapsack-strap give way on a march or journey, the damage may be repaired by passing one of the ends of the said trace, rein, or strap under bar d and engaging the tongues o in the perforations of the same, and then passing the other end un' der bar d, drawing up any slack, and engaging the tongue 0 with a perforation of that end thereof, any excess in length being passed through the raised loop. This may be accomplished in a few moments.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A three-tongue buckle having a central transverse tongue-bar, I), provided with the separating-lugs i, formed on said bar between the seats forthe eyes of the tongues, keeping the latter in proper relative position, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM JAMES OARNES, JR.

Witnesses:

THos. H. SPooNER, L. H. PLANOK.

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